Immunizations: What and When

If your child has gotten behind on immunizations, ask your doctor about the
"catch-up" schedule.
DTaP, to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough):
• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• At 6 months
• Between 15 and 18 months (can be given as early as 12 months as long as it's
at least six months after the previous shot)
• Between 4 and 6 years old
• A booster shot at 11 or 12 years of age

Hepatitis A, to protect against hepatitis A, which can cause the liver disease
hepatitis.
• Between 12 and 23 months, two shots at least six months apart

Hepatitis B (HBV), to protect against hepatitis B, which can cause the liver
disease hepatitis:
• At birth
• Between 1 and 2 months
• Between 6 and 18 months.

Hib, to protect against Haemophilus influenza type B, which can lead to

meningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis:
• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• At 6 months (not needed if the PedvaxHIB or ComVax brand of vaccine was
given at 2 and 4 months)
• Between 12 and 15 months

HPV, to protect against human papillomavirus, the most common sexually

transmitted disease in the United States and a cause of cervical cancer:
• Three doses between 11 and 12 years, for girls (one version of the HPV
vaccine prevents genital warts in males, but isn't on the official schedule)
Influenza (the flu shot or, for age 2 and up, nasal spray vaccine); two doses to
protect against H1N1 flu and one to protect against seasonal flu:
• Age 6 months and up, every year in the fall or early winter Meningococcal, to
protect against meningococcal disease, the leading cause of bacterial meningitis
in U.S. children in pre-vaccine days:
• Between 11 and 12 years

MMR, to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles):

• Between 12 and 15 months
• Between 4 and 6 years old

Pneumococcal (PCV), to protect against pneumococcal disease, which can

lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and ear infections:
• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• At 6 months
• Between 12 and 15 months

Polio (IPV), to protect against polio:

• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• Between 6 and 18 months
• Between 4 and 6 years old

Rotavirus, to protect against rotavirus, which can cause severe diarrhea,

vomiting, fever, and dehydration (given orally, not as an injection):
• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• At 6 months (not needed if the Rotarix brand of vaccine was given at 2 and 4
months)

Varicella, to protect against chicken pox:

• Between 12 and 15 months
• Between 4 and 6 years.